Does Maine have one of the highest homeownership rates in the US? | Fact brief

Maine’s homeownership rate was fourth-highest in the nation as of the second quarter of 2026, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Maine’s rate was 73.9%. The highest was Delaware at 78.7%, while the national estimate was 65%.

Since 1984, Maine’s homeownership rate has peaked twice above 77%, in 1999 and 2020. Its lowest rate was 69.9%, in 2015. The 2025 rate was 74.7%.

Nationally, the homeownership rate reached a post-1984 peak of 69% in 2005. It then fell steadily to a low of 63.4% in 2016 but has rebounded slightly since then.

The national decline coincided with the Great Recession, when foreclosures rose and first-time buying dropped, according to the Federal Reserve.

Related Why the dream of a starter home in Maine is slipping out of reach

Still, housing affordability has become a major barrier in Maine. MaineHousing says that while the median income rose 44% from 2015 to 2024, the income needed to afford a median-priced home rose 187%.